Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakshe, who happens to be a traditional loyalist to Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), left the party his father helped building up and took the official membership of Sri Lanka People’s Front (Pohottuwa) established only recently. Earlier, several young members of the SLFP including Namal Rajapakshe left the party and took membership of the Pohottuwa, while another group of old members of the SLFP had done the same.

By now, the number of former parliamentarians who took membership of the Pohottuwa by abandoning SLFP has exceeded 50.

It has been reported recently that Mahinda’s aim is to push ahead for the upcoming elections through Pohottuwa symbol, and as of now the reports have been turned out to be true.

However, many former members of the SLFP who stood with President Maithreepala Sirisena have refused to join the Pohottuwa. During recently, they have directly informed the President regarding their stand, and they say that they should be contesting in the upcoming elections either under the Hand symbol or the familiar Beetle Leave symbol.

Early today, a critical meeting regarding the decisions has been held at Minister Mahinda Amaraweera’s residence, and former Secretary of SLFP Duminda Dissanayake, Secretary of United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Mahinda Amaraweera, old SLFP members like Sarath Amunugama, Wijitha Soysa have reportedly joined in the meeting.

According to many opinions raised in the meeting, it is not the President, Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe or the United National Party who turned out to be vulnerable by the arbitrary decision made by the President. It is the group of SLFP members who fought keeping the death sentence in their hands to win and protect the President in the first place.

They expressed that the most disgusting betrayal has been caused by none other than the man whom they protected sacrificing their own lives, the President. They have come into a common understanding that although they might have to seek nominations without their clothes on and go home by losing the elections unable to face the public, they would never contest the elections under the Pohottuwa symbol.

The SLFP members have emphasized that if the President wishes to keep close association with the Rajapakshes to take Pohottu membership in the upcoming Presidential Election, it would be just a dream that is never going to come true. They point out that similar to how they have turned out to be vulnerable today, the President would have too in the future, and for he does not understand it, the only progressive party in this country that won people’s heart is dying day by day.

They have come to conclusion that in future they will be acting according to what is yet to come, and against all odds neither would be joining the Pohottuwa.